Silverettes should sit comfortably over your nipple with enough room that the cup doesn’t press against the tip. The cup creates a small pocket of space around the nipple, which is the whole point: it shields damaged skin from friction while your breast milk and the silver work together to promote healing. If the cup feels tight, leaves marks, or flattens against your nipple, it’s likely too small.
Choosing the Right Size
Silverettes come in two sizes, and the deciding factor is your areola diameter. The Regular size fits areolas under 1.8 inches (4.5 cm) across and typically works for those who wear up to a C cup. The XL size is designed for areolas that measure 1.8 inches or larger and generally suits a D cup or above.
To measure, you can use a soft tape measure or even hold a coin or small ruler across your areola for a rough comparison. Keep in mind that areola size can change during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so measure while you’re nursing rather than relying on your pre-pregnancy size. The cup doesn’t need to cover your entire areola. It needs to fully surround the nipple with a bit of clearance on all sides so nothing rubs.
How to Place Them Correctly
Before placing each cup, express a couple of drops of breast milk into it. This thin layer of milk sits against your skin and works with the silver’s natural antimicrobial properties to create a healing environment. Then center the cup directly over your nipple and hold it in place with your nursing bra. The bra does all the work of keeping the cups secure; you don’t need tape, adhesive, or any additional accessories.
The cup should feel like it’s gently resting against your breast, not squeezing or digging in. Your nursing bra provides light compression to keep things in place, but it shouldn’t push the cup so hard that the silver presses into your nipple. If your bra is very tight fitting, you may need to loosen it slightly or try a softer style while using the cups.
What a Good Fit Feels Like
When Silverettes fit correctly, you’ll barely notice them. The sterling silver warms to your body temperature quickly, so there’s no persistent cold sensation after the first minute or two. You should be able to move normally, bend over, and sleep in them without discomfort. Many people wear them continuously between feeds, including overnight.
A cup that’s too small will press against the nipple tip or sit awkwardly, potentially causing more irritation instead of relieving it. If you notice redness in a ring pattern around your nipple after removing the cups, that’s a sign the rim is too snug. On the other hand, a cup that’s slightly roomier than necessary is rarely a problem. Extra space just means a bigger air pocket, which doesn’t interfere with healing.
Dealing With Leaking
One thing that catches many people off guard is that Silverettes can increase leaking, or at least make it more noticeable. Without the cup, your bra and nursing pad press directly against the nipple, which helps slow the flow. With Silverettes in place, there’s open space around the nipple, and milk flows more freely.
This isn’t a fit problem. It’s just how the cups work. The simple fix is to place a reusable or disposable nursing pad over the outside of each cup, between the Silverette and your bra. This catches any milk that spills over the edge. Some people find it helpful to wear the cups right after nursing or pumping, when leaking is minimal, and then switch to pads alone once enough time has passed that letdown becomes more likely. The small bumps from the cups can be visible through thin clothing, so the nursing pad serves double duty as camouflage.
Cleaning and Care
Silverettes are made from 925 sterling silver, which is naturally antimicrobial, so you don’t need to sterilize them. In fact, you shouldn’t. Disinfectants, boiling water, and dishwashers can all compromise the silver’s surface and reduce its effectiveness.
To clean them, make a paste from baking soda and a small amount of water. Rub the paste gently over the surface, rinse thoroughly, and dry. That’s it. Over time, silver can tarnish slightly, which is normal and doesn’t affect how the cups work. The baking soda paste takes care of any buildup. Between feeds, a quick rinse with water is enough if the cups aren’t visibly dirty.
When Fit Changes Over Time
Your breasts and nipples can change shape and size throughout your breastfeeding journey, especially in the early weeks when milk supply is still regulating. Engorgement can temporarily make the cups feel tighter, while nipple swelling from a difficult latch may change how the cup sits. If you notice the fit feels different from day to day, it’s worth reassessing once things settle. A cup that fit perfectly at two weeks postpartum may feel different at six weeks as swelling decreases and supply stabilizes. The cups themselves are solid silver and won’t stretch or deform, so any change in fit is coming from your body, not the product.